Overland Journal: Discovery I, 5-speed

[4Rescue]

SO does the Dixxon-Bate hard mount to the truck as a attachment point for recovery??? Maybe I've been living under a rock but I've never seen one of those. Great pics and great Rover, it's coming along nicely eh. I love the steelies and the overall look of the truck. The fact that it's a 5spd is AWESOME in my book as I prefer a manual. I'm clearly a Die-hard Toyota guy, but this is one healthy replacement for the Taco... Oh and your G-wagen... You're one fortunate man there Scott. Next thing you know you'll have a 75 Series Troupy...

Cheers

Dave

EDIT: I re-read the post and now I see what it is... Verry nice, I love what you did with the winch.

 

[Antichrist]

SO does the Dixxon-Bate hard mount to the truck as a attachment point for recovery??? Maybe I've been living under a rock but I've never seen one of those.

Here you go http://www.dixonbate.co.uk/Towing/tow_jaws.asp

 

[muskyman]

I prefer using the air suspension controls from a 95RRC.

Center button is depressed to energize the in and out arrows (or up and down arrows depending on your point of view)

wow I like that idea Rob...and I have one of those

 

[Scott Brady]

Nice images and install Scott.

I'm in the hunt for yet another '99 white DI myself though I am sticking to an auto. Call me lazy! But I will most certainly be using this thread to refer back to.

I like the "mild" approach with this truck.

Thanks Garrett. Good luck with finding the 1999. I wish the 99 was available with a manual.

 

[Scott Brady]

I prefer using the air suspension controls from a 95RRC.

The guys from Columbia Rovers had installed one in their Disco. Looks good.

 

[JSQ]

All opened up.

Sure, it's more open than before.

But this set-up is second only to the TJM for worst access to the winch and line. Removing the solenoid mounting tab hardly changes that. You and others can't see if you're birdsnesting or stacking up while winching and you still have to reach into a bear trap every time you want to mess with the winch. It's a terrible set-up.
Furthermore, all the mud, snow, sand you get into is getting all over your winch and line because it's not protected from splash by a solid tray. Personally, I think that synthetic line really degrades when abrasives such as sand or even ice work into the line and then are pushed through under tension. It leads to breakage. The ARB leaves your winch hangin.

If the ARB was free or some other vendor/review/magazine deal then I can see why one would use it. Bill Burke runs that ****ty ARB on his 90 and just keeps hitting them up for more freebies. He just deals because he's pretty cheap and frankly, Bill can make any system work pretty safely. That I get. But what I don't understand is trying to make it appear that the ARB is anything other than a second rate choice.

Thin material, not properly boxed, ****ty approach, etc... The list goes on and on. But those are all secondary concerns for me. In my mind the primary and most important purpose the bumper serves is to mount the winch and facilitate it's operation. The ARB comes up way short.

The Dixon-Bate tow jaws on this bumper are killing me. I love those tow-jaws. There so awesome. They're big and tough and functional and they look sweet. I'm glad that such a nice recovery points are being fitted to this wonderful white Disco1.
But bolting them to that ****ty bumper just kills me.

I have high hopes for this Disco1. It's a very nice truck with some good ****. I'm sure it will go to some cool places.
I would love to see this bumper get swapped out. And when you sell it in the classifieds, leave the Lightforce lights bolted to it.

 

[Scott Brady]

Have you found a bumper with better winch access/visibility?

I did consider alternative bumpers, and even a custom bumper, mostly because of the desire to fit an 8274 or Husky 10 on this truck. For what I intend to do with this Disco, I like the ARB and the M8000. Now that I have the ARB on the Disco, I do notice the poor approach angle. So far, not a problem. The Rovertym seems to be much better at that.

I really love this truck, so anything that goes on it is what I want for it, including paying retail, free or otherwise. Literally, money is no object.

I also doubt Bill uses an ARB just because it was free. I am sure any bumper manufacture would jump at the chance to bump ARB off of that well-loved and well-known Defender.

I have used a lot of ARB bumpers through the years, and have never experienced a failure of the frame mounting or winch mounting. The ARB is also one of the best at animal strike protection, which is a real threat during a long trip. They are good bumpers and I have a nostalgic appreciation for them -

 

[jeepmedic46]

That is a great picture, How did the bumper fair? What do you have on the roof?

 

[Scott Brady]

No damage to the bumper. That is the cliff hanger special task for the Outback Challenge. My favorite of the event.

On the roof is a sand ladder - never needed.

 

[JSQ]

The ARBs aren't tough. It may have survived that nose-dive, but I have seen plenty that haven't fared so well.

This isn't news or anything. That picture is ancient. It's from Kyle's window on discoweb nearly a decade ago.


The ARB is definitely lacking, but the best choice for Disco1s isn't such a cut and dried matter. I think the most functional bumper is without contest the RTE. Now THAT bumper is tough. 1/4" and fully boxed. You will hear all sorts of torture test horror stories about what that has been stupidly and successfully rammed into. Great winch placement. Good brushguard protection. Great approach. Good recovery mounting. It's got it all.

Well almost all...
The RTE comes up short in the looks department. The "blade" bumpers are a good way to go but they've never been the most stylish choice. Invariably, if you choose the knife edge for the front of the truck you have to do the same for the back or the overall appearance is unbalanced. So with the RTE you can't have your cake and eat it too.

... but there was once a bumper that offered it all.
It complemented the lines of the Disco1. And it did it's job very well.

That's the Trek Outfitters bumper. I'm pretty sure TO is defunct, but that bumper was great. Just look at that winch tray. Solid, high and tight. Easy access to the winch, but good protection for your most important accessory. Good spots for the DBs. Good protection for the body work. Squared-off but still good approach. You don't even have to trim the grill. And those two little 550s, plastic and cheap though they are, look quite nice along the top bar.
I heard a rumor that the CAD files for that bumper are still floating around. It would be awesome to see it go back into production even if it was just one more for the Expeditions West Discovery 5-Speed.
As long as you're resurrecting it, streeeeeetch out that winch tray for the HUSKY10. That would be something very special indeed.

 

[DiscoD]

ARB's?

 

[blakesrover]

Jack,

Can you post pics of your D1? I'm curious to see your set-up.

Thanks.

 

[sinuhexavier]

 

[BIGdaddy]

I would agree that arb is a pretty loosey-goosey bumper. I think they try to walk the line between sacrificial and protective. Certainly access is pretty
dismal.

I didn't know that the mounts on the bottom edge were NOT meant to be for recovery, but for a specially adapted hi-lift jack. I've heard a lot of misguided users complain about the lack of beefiness in these mounts, when they're, in reality, using them incorrectly.

for animal/vehicle strike protection, i think the ARB is the top pick. When a winch is added, I honestly believe in most applications there is a better choice.

For clearance, I think the ARB does a good job of improving or maintaining approach angles while incorporating a winch, but not quite as good, again, as a dedicated winch mount.

This is true for my XJ to a large extent. I can get a quality winch mount for around $300.00 that protects the front end, solidly mounts the winch, and improves approach angles all a the same time.

Why would I pay for a ARB?

probably looks, deformability/energy absorbsion, looks, nostalgia, looks...LOL

 

[blakesrover]

Thanks Sinhue.

Jack thats a very nice set-up and the function is noticeable in that bumper. I see them all the time on D2 but rarely have seen any D1's with the RTE